“This decision has been years in the making, ready to be made when the time is right. That time is now. My journey has led me to this point,” he said in a post on OleMissSports.com. “Mentally, I am ready. In my heart, I know I’m ready.”

Thornberry won the Haskins Award as college golf’s best player in 2017. He played in the 2018 U.S. Open and has started five other professional. He finished T4 in the 2017 FedEx St. Jude Classic.

“Some people have wondered why I didn’t turn pro after winning the national championship my sophomore year. Then, they assumed I would make the jump after my junior season. There have been a few times I’ve considered turning pro, but this is the first time where I have felt mentally ready,” he said.